6 explosions on pipelines

MEXICO CITY — Six explosions believed to be the result of sabotage ripped apart pipelines for Mexico's state oil monopoly early Monday, the company said. There were no reported injuries.

Mexican state oil monopoly Petroleos Mexicanos, or Pemex, issued a statement saying it believed the explosions, which forced the evacuation of 12,000 people, were deliberate.

It said the six blasts caused four fires. At least five pipelines were affected.

A small, left-wing guerrilla group claimed to have attacked a major Pemex gas pipeline in July, forcing at least a dozen major companies, including Honda Motor Co., Kellogg Co. and The Hershey Co., to suspend or scale back operations.

The July explosions affected sections of a major pipeline extending from central Mexico City to Guadalajara in western Mexico.

Those attacks sent the Mexican government scrambling to increase security at "strategic installations" across Mexico. It was not clear what security measures were in place at the pipelines that exploded Monday.

FCC chair promotes post-digital TV rule

By JOHN DUNBAR, Associated Press Writer Tue Sep 11, 5:42 AM ET

WASHINGTON - Here's the pitch from the cable TV industry: One way or another, all subscribers will still be able to tune in their favorite shows when broadcasters shift to digital-only transmission in 2009.
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Seeking more than a promise, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin wants commissioners to require cable companies to provide that service.

"Unless the commission acts, some cable customers may actually be harmed by the transition and lose the ability to view some of these channels," Martin told The Associated Press on Monday.

The FCC, which is scheduled to meet Tuesday, has been split over such a proposal in the past but may be moving toward a compromise.

The greatest impact of the digital conversion will be on viewers of non-digital televisions who receive their signals over the air. Beginning Feb. 18, 2009, they will be forced to buy a special converter box, subsidized by the government, to receive their channels.

The impact of the shift on the nation's cable subscribers is less certain.

Today, cable television system operators receive broadcast feeds in analog and digital format. Come Feb. 18, 2009, broadcasters must stop supplying the analog signal. That creates a problem for the cable industry's 32 million analog subscribers.

Cable operators can either convert the digital signal to analog at the point where their cable signal originates, or they can supply customers with a "down converter" device that will change digital signals to analog at the TV set.

This is essentially what the FCC wants to force the industry to do, under Martin's proposed rules.

Last week, the National Cable and Telecommunications Association launched a $200 million advertising campaign to assure customers that the shift won't affect them. "Every TV set you have that's hooked up to cable will work just fine," happy customers intone in a TV spot.

What the commercials do not say is how the industry is going to manage the transition, something that concerns Gene Kimmelman, federal affairs chief for Consumers Union. "It is astounding that they're telling their customers 'don't worry, we're taking care of you' without telling them at what price."

NCTA spokesman Brian Dietz said analog consumers will not be charged more when the transition occurs. Nor will they be forced to sign up for a more expensive digital service.

The NCTA has committed to doing what the FCC is asking, but is resisting the mandate, a position Kimmelman calls "disingenuous."

The NCTA says what the FCC is doing violates the industry's constitutional rights.

"We've said we will voluntarily take care of our customers, which is different than a government mandate," Dietz said.

Dietz said a government-ordered transition would deny the thousands of cable system operators the flexibility they need in managing the transition.

Kimmelman credited the industry with launching the ad campaign, but said the government should assume an oversight role.

"I think there are some sticks that can be placed over their heads to try to ensure that they don't take advantage of their customers," he said.

ST. PAUL - Police said a man who robbed a woman of her keys and cell phone then took off her shoes and licked her toes. Commander Kevin Casper said the attack was "weird sexual behavior."

The 24-year-old woman was leaving work around 1 a.m. Saturday when the 27-year-old man approached her and demanded her keys and phone. After that he removed her shoes.

Police say the woman was not hurt.

Police arrested the man a few minutes later about four blocks away. The woman identified the suspect and police were able to recover her keys and phone.

The man is in custody and has not yet been formally charged.

Gun ban needed, not school metal detectors: McGuinty

KAREN HOWLETT AND JEFF GRAY

Globe and Mail Update

September 12, 2007 at 1:06 PM EDT

Ontario Liberal Leader Dalton McGuinty said Wednesday that he does not want to see the provinces' schools resort to installing metal detectors and having uniformed security officers patrol the halls in the wake of Tuesday's fatal stabbing at a Toronto high school.

Such a move, he said, would amount to the Americanization of schools in Ontario.

“I see that as an absolute last resort,” Mr. McGuinty told reporters during an election campaign stop.

Instead, he said, Ontario needs to distinguish itself from the United States by imposing an outright ban on hand guns.

“Let's ban handguns in Ontario,” he said. “Let's ban handguns across the country. Let's declare war against handguns.”

A 16-year-old Scarborough youth was stabbed to death on Tuesday on a walkway leading from Winston Churchill Collegiate Institute.

The teen's death comes four months after the shooting death of teenager Jordan Manners, placing the violence that has plagued Toronto front-and-centre in the provincial election campaign.

NDP Leader Howard Hampton blamed the Liberal government for failing to provide enough money for schools and municipalities for police.

“Schools do not have enough money to look after children at risk,” Mr. Hampton said.

“...You can't have kids being shot in school, being stabbed in the school ground. Schools need to have enough supervisors. They need to have strategies to deal with kids, particularly teenagers who are high risk. That's not happening, despite the fact that Dalton McGuinty promised to fix the school funding formula.”

He also said that, until the government fixes the problems created when Queen's Park “downloaded” various responsibilities like some social programs onto municipalities, local governments won't be able to afford to hire more police.

Mr. McGuinty, who was confronted before the press conference by a protester from the Ontario Taxpayers' Federation dressed as Pinocchio, said there are other ways the province can ensure that schools are safe and “sanctuaries for our kids.”

Flanked by firefighters, nurses and other public-sector workers, he said the Liberals, if re-elected, would put in place safe-school teams, consisting of police working with school officials and social workers, he said.

As part of the Liberal Party's 'stronger, safe schools' policy, he said, additional resources have been provided to schools to hire more vice-principals to provide additional supervision.

SCHOOL 1977 vs. SCHOOL 2007

Scenario: Jack goes quail hunting before school, pulls into school parking lot with shotgun in gun rack.
1977 - Vice principal comes over, looks at Jack's shotgun, goes to his car and gets his own shotgun to show Jack.
2007 - School goes into lockdown, the FBI is called, Jack is hauled off to jail and never sees his truck or gun again. Counselors are called in to assist traumatized students and teachers.


Scenario: Johnny and Mark get into a fistfight after school.
1977 - Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up buddies.
2007 - Police are called, SWAT team arrives and arrests Johnny and Mark.
They are charged with assault and both are expelled even though Johnny started it.


Scenario: Jeffrey won't sit still in class, disrupts other students.
1977 - Jeffrey is sent to the principal's office and given a good paddling. Returns to class, sits still and does not disrupt class again.
2007 - Jeffrey is given huge doses of Ritalin. Becomes a zombie. Tested for ADD. School gets extra provincial funding because Jeffrey has a disability.


Scenario: Billy breaks a window in his neighbour's car and his Dad gives him a whipping with his belt.
1977 - Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college, and becomes a successful businessman.
2007 - Billy's dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy is removed to foster care and joins a gang. State psychologist tells Billy's sister that she remembers being abused herself and their dad goes to prison. Billy's mom has an affair with the psychologist.


Scenario: Mark gets a headache and takes some Aspirin to school.
1977 - Mark shares Aspirin with the school principal out on the smoking dock.
2007 - Police are called and Mark is expelled from school for drug violations. His car is searched for drugs and weapons.


Scenario: Pedro fails high-school English.
1977 - Pedro goes to summer school, passes English, goes to college.
2007 - Pedro's cause is taken up by local human rights group. Newspaper articles appear nationally explaining that making English a requirement for graduation is racist. ACLU files class action lawsuit against school system and Pedro's English teacher. English is banned from core curriculum. Pedro is given his diploma anyway but ends up mowing lawns for a living because he cannot speak English.


Scenario: Johnny takes apart leftover 4th of July firecrackers, puts them in a model airplane paint bottle and blows up an anthill.
1977 - Ants die.
2007 - ATF and the FBI are called and Johnny is charged with domestic terrorism. Home Land Security investigates parents, siblings are removed from the home, computers are confiscated, and Johnny's dad goes on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly again.


Scenario: Johnny falls during recess and scrapes his knee. His teacher, Mary, finds him crying, and gives him a hug to comfort him.
1977 - Johnny soon feels better and goes back to playing.
2007 - Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces three years in federal prison. Johnny undergoes five years of therapy.

Deputy's wife accused of videotaping sex with 16-year-old
Jessica Wink

Jessica Wink (PBSO / September 20, 2007)

By Jerome Burdi | Sun-Sentinel.com
    3:02 PM EDT, September 20, 2007

ROYAL PALM BEACH - A 22-year-old deputy's wife was arrested for having sex with a 16-year-old high school student and videotaping it, the Palm Beach Sheriff's Office said on Thursday.

The man who filmed it and gave it to the deputy was also arrested.

Jessica Wink and German Armentano, 28, who both work at a Publix supermarket, were arrested Wednesday and charged with sexual performance by a child. The 16-year-old, whose name was not released was also arrested on the charge.

"I know he looks like a victim but he's also a suspect as well," sheriff's spokeswoman Teri Barbera said. "Any time anybody knowingly video tapes anything sexual [with a minor], it's against the law."

On Aug. 30, Wellington Deputy John Wink got a call from Armentano who told him his wife was having an affair and he had it on tape. The tape shows Jessica Wink and the minor engaging in sexual activity in Armentano's Royal Palm Beach home while he filmed it 1:30 p.m. June 18, according to a police report.

Armentano told investigators he gave Deputy Wink the tape because of an ongoing feud Armentano had with her regarding work, according to the police report.

The 16-year-old, whose name was not released was also arrested on the charge.

"I know he looks like a victim but he's also a suspect as well," sheriff's spokeswoman Teri Barbera said. "Any time anybody knowingly video tapes anything sexual [with a minor], it's against the law."